The year is 1946. The most destructive war in history has concluded and Berlin, the epicenter of the Third Reich, lays in ruin. There are countless stories of men and women sacrificing their time, freedoms and lives to help save the world from tyranny as well as those who were responsible for the brutality that set the events in motion. Yet, little is told of the aftermath, save the rosy-pictured returns of fighting GIs coming home to re-start their lives.

What was Germany like in the immediate time following nearly 30 years of war, economic upheaval, and turmoil? That’s the backdrop for the Netflix series The Defeated, the story of a Brooklyn detective who goes to the American-controlled section of Berlin to help create the new police force. Filled with chaos, as enemies both new and old still lurk in the shadows, this series looks at a world on the brink of unending uncertainty and violence.

The Defeated stars Taylor Kitsch, Michael C. Hall and Nina Hoss, and was created by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein.

Here are five screenwriting takeaways from the pilot episode of The Defeated.

1. Establish the world

One of the biggest intrigues of the series is what the world looked like for a defeated nation. This gave the creators the opportunity to build a world that was both new to the viewer, yet filled with the reality of the times.

Essentially, the first episode of The Defeated answers the question, “What was it like?” There are plenty of distraught faces as Berliners try to pick up the pieces, literally, of their lives as they dig through the rubble and ruin in an attempt to rebuild their lives.

Along with the physical world, the viewer can see how things were for those who tried to game the situation and those who wanted to fix their country.

Establishing a world isn’t easy, but writers can watch and see how The Defeated provides a comprehensive view of the world in very little time.

2. The main character

The story must follow someone. And while there are multiple intriguing characters in a television series that steal scenes or monopolize an episode, more often than not, the show is about one person. The Defeated follows Max McLaughlin (Kitsch). The viewer is going to see the world of this character and how he interacts with the environment, who he speaks to, and the lives of those he corresponds with.

Similarly, Breaking Bad followed Walter White. Even though the viewer was given glimpses into the lives of those around him, the show was about White. Same with Sex and the City and Carrie. There were three other women, but the show was ultimately about Carrie and her life in New York.

Writers can see how main characters are the glue that holds the show together and how the decisions of others, some the main character may not meet for quite a few shows, will impact their life.

3. A police force in post-war Berlin

Berlin is essentially a place with no law or order in 1946. Divided into four sections (Russia, France, Britain and America), several allied nations are staking their claims in taking care of their defeated enemy. What our lead character finds out upon arrival is how little crimes are reported or solved, and how easily both civilians and occupiers become victims.

And so, here is the catalyst for the show: An American establishes a police force in what is considered to be the most crime-filled city in the world.

Regardless of what’s going on in the world, the focus of the people is on this part of the city. No one cares about what’s going on in America or Great Britain or Japan. This focus further builds out the cast of characters, what makes them unique, and how they will play a role in bringing order to the chaos of Berlin.

Who is working against them, though? The writer can see how The Defeated establishes both internal forces — McLaughlin has his own reason for being in Berlin — as well as external forces, such as Nazis still hiding out in the city or Russians committing their own crimes against the population, fighting to stake their claim in the city.

4. End with a cliffhanger

Never has it been more crucial to end every episode with a cliffhanger. It used to be that you could create a show and gain enough interest on the premiere night that more people would tune in to watch the second episode the following week.

Now though, binge-able content rules. Each episode must conclude in a way that tells the viewer they can’t go to bed yet, they need to watch one more episode.

The cliffhanger at the end of the pilot is the most important. It must take the mysteries established throughout the episode and conclude with a critical piece of information that leads to suspense. For The Defeated, the viewer finds out throughout the pilot that McLaughlin’s brother went missing at the end of the war and part of his journey is trying to find him. The final moments of the first episode offer a clue on his brother’s potential whereabouts and thus make the viewer want to keep watching.

5. Why tell this story now?

There is some truth that inspired this show, but ultimately, there needs to be a reason to create a series in a historical time period. For writers looking to create content from a historical perspective, there needs to be a reason for someone or some company to invest. For example:

What parallels can be made to today’s world? What makes telling The Defeated in post-war Germany better than creating a similar story in modern times?

A writer should answer these questions, even if it’s not apparent in the pilot episode of a show, and the overall reason for a historical piece should bear some relevance to today’s world.

As an example from a recently released film, part of Respect shows Aretha Franklin’s singing career coinciding with her involvement in the civil rights movement. As the movie plays out, the audience sees how her contributions played a role in both racial and gender equality — something very much at the forefront today.

The Defeated is now streaming on Netflix.